Issuu

A N AG E N C Y O F T H E J E W I S H F E D E R AT I O N O F O M A H A

The Jewish Press WWW.O M A H A J E W I S H P R E SS .CO M

INSIDE

WWW. J E W I S H O M A H A .O R G

SPONSORED BY THE BENJAMIN AND ANNA E. WIESMAN FAMILY ENDOWMENT FUND

WELCOME HOME

The Saddest Day on the Happiest Holiday Page 5

The Untested Cookbook Page 8

Film Festival Screens “Matchmaking2” and “The Property” Page 12

PHILISSA CRAMER he last time Israel and Hamas struck a ceasefire in their war, in early 2025, 38 hostages were released — almost all of them living.

REGULARS Spotlight Voices Synagogues Life Cycles

6 9 10 11

Since then, Israel has retrieved the bodies of nine other hostages taken during Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, while U.S. President Donald Trump negotiated the release of Edan Alexander, a soldier who had been the last living American-Israeli in Gaza. The remains of some deceased hostages were retrieved during fighting, and officials conveyed that another two hostages who had not been confirmed dead were in fact no longer living. That leaves 20 living hostages — all young men — and 28 deceased ones set to be released now under the terms of a ceasefire deal struck by Israel and Hamas. These are the remaining hostages known to be alive and what we know about them: Matan Angrest: Angrest, 22, was serving as a soldier on Oct. 7 and was seized from his burning tank at Kibbutz Nahal Oz. Released hostages disclosed that he was chained and beaten in captivity and suffered severe injuries. He appeared in one video released by Hamas in July 2024 and another in July 2025, as momentum was building toward a potential deal. Gali Berman: Berman, 27, was kidnapped from his home on Kibbutz Kfar Aza. A relative said they had received a sign of life for both brothers — the only remaining living hostages from their ravaged kibbutz — during the ceasefire in early 2025. Ziv Berman: Like his twin brother Gali, Ziv, 27, was kidnapped from his home on Kibbutz Kfar Aza. A sign of life was also received for him in February 2025, but officials indicated that the two brothers were being held separately. Elkana Bohbot: Abducted from the Nova music festival, Bohbot, 36, was filmed being beaten before he was taken to Gaza. His family — which includes a young son — received the first sign of life for Bohbot during the ceasefire earlier this

year. His parents said he expressed hope, through a freed hostage, that they are continuing to hold a market stall where he planned to open an ice cream shop; they are. Rom Braslavski: Braslavski, 21, was abducted while working as a security guard at the Nova music festival during a break in his army service. His family had received no sign of life until March 2025, when a released hostage said he had formed a friendship with Braslavski in Gaza. Hamas released a video featuring Braslavski in April 2025. Nimrod Cohen: Cohen, 20, was captured from a tank on his base near the Gaza border. His family received both a message from Nimrod through a released hostage — “I’m OK, don’t worry, I love you,” they said he said — as well as visual evidence of his state. Though his face was obscured in a video Hamas released showing hostages bidding farewell to Yair Horn, who was freed in the first phase of the ceasefire, his parents recognized Nimrod’s tattoo. Ariel Cunio: Taken hostage with his girlfriend from Kibbutz Nir Oz, Cunio, 28, is half of one of multiple sibling pairs who remain in Gaza. His mother said in August 2024 that she had gotten a sign of life from him and his brother. His partner Arbel Yehud was released in January after being held without any contact with other Israelis for nearly 500 days. David Cunio: Cunio, the brother of Ariel Cunio, 35, was taken hostage from his home along with his wife, their twin daughters, his sister-in-law and her daughter. All were released in November 2023 except for him. After the August 2024 sign of life, his wife said the family received another in February 2025. “David is alive,” Sharon Aloni Cunio told Channel 12 news. “And that gives us so much strength and so much air to breathe.” His daughters turned 5 in July 2025. Evyatar David: David, 24, was taken hostage at the Nova music festival along with his best friend, Guy Gilboa-Dalal. A sign of life came for him in February 2025 when Hamas brought him to view other hostages being released. Guy Gilboa-Dalal: Gilboa-Dalal, 24, was taken hostage at the Nova music festival along with his best friend, Evyatar David. He appeared alongside David in the video released by Hamas of the pair watching other hostages be released and realizing that they would not be. See Welcome Home page 3